Snow, Ice and Climate Change

Snow, Ice and Climate Change

Arctic sea ice is one of the most visible indicators of our changing climate. Read year-round scientific analysis of Arctic sea ice conditions. We provide an update during the first week of each month, or more frequently as conditions warrant. Get images of Arctic sea ice, updated daily.

Icelights digs into what’s hot in the news around climate and sea ice, provides a behind-the-scenes view of what scientists are talking about, and answers the questions you and your fellow readers send us.

What are snow, ice, and permafrost telling us about climate change? State of the Cryosphere includes up-to-date assessments of Northern Hemisphere snow cover, mountain glaciers, sea ice, ice shelves, and global sea level, as well as a snapshot of permafrost conditions.

Is the cryosphere sending signals about climate change? The cryosphere, where water is frozen, provides us with direct, visual evidence of temperature changes. Ice and snow exist relatively close to their melting point and may frequently change from solid to liquid and back again, resulting in dramatic visual changes across the landscape as features like glaciers and ice sheets shrink or grow.